Use head onconcussions

Along series of tragedies involving former National Football League players has driven major new research on sports concussions and raised awareness, especially among parents of young children, of the danger of head injuries in sports.

The NFL itself has agreed to a $765 million settlement with players who have sued the league over its concussion policy, although it has been held up by a judge who thinks that might not be enough. And the league has committed millions more to concussion research.

Earlier this week, a federal district court approved a similar case brought by former college players against the NCAA.

The NCAA has committed $30 million to a joint project with the Department of Defense to study head trauma, and the NFL has pledged $25 million to promote youth sports safety. Steve Tisch, a co-owner of the NFL’s New York Giants, has committed $10 million to a concussion prevention effort at UCLA. The National Institutes of Health and other research organizations also are involved in concussion research.

Yet, as President Obama noted during a

“concussion summit” this week at the White House, there remains a lack of comprehensive data on concussions in youth and high school sports.

He should direct, and Congress should fund, a comprehensive data collection effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It could gather data from hospitals and government agencies, as it does for crucial statistical data on vehicle crash injuries and fatalities, diseases and other health-related matters.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.

Think you have the cutest pet in NEPA? Share a photo of your furry companion and you could win prizes from our sponsors! Deadline to submit an entry is March 19, and voting will take place from March 20-March 31.